Federer opens up on four kids' love of tennis

"I was really happy with how aggressive I was". I served a lot of balls during the last few week but now I'm feeling much better, feeling much safer with more control.

"I did the job in two, and that's not something I did towards the end of previous year".

Kerber now looms as a serious title threat, having seemingly overcome the form struggles that plagued her past year. "Everybody who knows me knows I never give up, I always come back".

"I think I was well prepared and I stuck with my plan and I'm glad as I can stand here as a victor today", Berdych said on court.

"Something I've been working on, and definitely improved in the match today".

It was a smackdown, and so one-side that Sharapova left the court quickly after the affair. Aside from Sharapova's win over Halep in the opening round of the 2017 US Open - her first major after returning from her suspension - Sharapova has struggled to maintain any type of consistency against quality opponents.

Maria Sharapova was always going to be a risky unseeded floater, and it was Kerber, down at 21 after a tough, confidence-sapping 2017, who drew the short straw.

On beating Sevastova, Sharapova added: "When she broke me back I was thinking it was going to be three sets again".

In what was a scintillating day of tennis in Melbourne, Roger Federer took one more step to defending his Australian Open title with a straight sets victory over Richard Gasquet, finishing the game at 6-2 7-5 6-4.

Her ankle has been heavily strapped, which could impact her chances. "I know maybe that isn't what you want to hear, but personally that's important for me".

The two long matches on Day 6 meant a move for local hope Ash Barty's scheduled center court appearance and it cost the tournament's No. 18 seed, who lost 6-4, 6-2 to Naomi Osaka on Margaret Court Arena.

Keys advanced 6-3, 6-4 over Ana Bogdan and will next play No. 8 Caroline Garcia.

In the third round, Djokovic is set to play against Spaniard Albert Ramos Viñolas, who defeated American wildcard Tim Smyczek 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

The current Australian Open champion and 19-time major victor said as long as the players kept talking to one another they didn't need a separate players union, as proposed by Djokovic, to push for more money.

Djokovic, who won four of the five Australian titles between 2011 and '16 before his shocking second-round exit a year ago, extended his career head-to-head domination over Monfils to 15-0.

"Expectations are different", this year, Federer said.

"But I'm very pleased with where my game is at at the moment". She dropped not a match at the Hopman Cup in Perth, and went on to win the Sydney title over some considerable opposition.